2019 SEASON IN REVIEW 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. A Letter from the Commissioner ............................ 3 II. Executive Summary ............................................... 4 III. Tour Highlights ..................................................... 5-15 a. By The Numbers ......................................... 5 b. Drive On ..................................................... 6 c. LPGA Player of the Decade ........................ 7 d. Major Champions ....................................... 8 e. Rolex World Golf Rankings ......................... 9 f. Rolex Awards .............................................. 10-11 g. Season Long Programs ............................... 12-13 h. Solheim Cup ............................................... 14 i. Global Expansion ........................................ 15 IV. Symetra Tour & LPGA Q-Series ............................ 16-17 V. Media: Television, Digital & Social ........................ 18-21 VI. LPGA Professionals .............................................. 22 VII. Programs for Women & Girls .............................. 23-27 a. Women’s Days ............................................. 23 b. LPGA Women’s Network ............................ 24 c. LPGA Amateur Golf Association ................. 25 d. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf ................................ 26 e. LPGA Leadership Academies ...................... 27 VIII. 2020 Storylines to Follow ................................... 28-33 a. Rookies to Watch ........................................ 28 b. Smucker’s Moms on Tour ............................ 28 c. The Olympics .............................................. 29 d. UL International Crown ............................... 29 e. New Tournaments ....................................... 30 f. LPGA Tour Schedule ................................... 31 g. Symetra Tour Schedule ............................... 32 h. Ladies European Tour (LET) Schedule ......... 33 2 A LETTER FROM THE COMMISSIONER What is the LPGA? Great Athletes ✓ Global Interest ✓ Social Impact ✓ Growth and Expansion ✓ Bigger than just golf – you bet! The LPGA is the sports property that checks all the boxes that many other leagues are trying to tackle. 2019 was another milestone year in the LPGA’s history and global expansion. Tournament growth over the last 10 years is up more than 50 %, prize money is up over 90% and TV growth is up more than 250%. Our athletes come from over 50 countries to compete on one of the LPGA Tours. We formed a Joint Venture with the Ladies European Tour to strengthen playing opportunities in Europe. LPGA is televised in over 170 countries around the world each week. And women’s golf is now an Olympic sport. Our players, business partners and fans understand that the LPGA is about so much more than golf. Our athletes are role models, leaders and influencers. And, they convene and inspire people well beyond sports. In fact, two out of every three LPGA Tour event in 2019 featured a Women’s Leadership program to engage and connect women leaders from different backgrounds and interests. We are also working hard to bring more girls and women to the game. Ten year ago, less than 20 % of junior golfers were girls. Today, more than 35% of junior golf is female, paving the way for the most female golfers the world has seen. Difference makers, message-senders, global influencers! As we enter the LPGA’s 70th year, we are more excited - and optimistic - about our potential to help increase opportunities for women – on and off the golf course. For those already part of the LPGA family, thank you for challenging us to be better and reach higher. And to those not yet invested in the LPGA, let’s explore how we can work together to support your business objectives and diversity goals. 1/28/20 Editor’s note: In November, Commissioner Whan extended his contract with the LPGA. In his words: “I’m not done!” 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The LPGA debuted the DRIVE ON brand repositioning; Sei Young Kim took home the largest first-place prize in women’s golf history when she won $1.5M at the CME Group Tour Championship Captain Catriona Matthew, in her home country, led Europe to victory over the US 14 ½ to 13 ½ and was the stage for Suzann Pettersen’s final bow to her playing career Six countries represented in the top-10 graduate class and the 8-round Q-Series identified the45 top Players from 15 different countries earned status for the 2020 LPGA Tour season Rebranded as LPGA Professionals, 1,800 LPGA Teachers from 25 different countries gave over 2 million lessons 90,000 girls engaged with 550+ sites around the country 13,000 Members and over 110 Chapters in 43 States and 3 Countries 195,000 people reached across website, social and email 4 2019 TOUR HIGHLIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS $ Record Official different winners 70.2M Prize money 23 in 33 events International Winners on the LPGA & PLAYERS 28 Symetra Tours FROM Tournaments in 50+ 15 states and Players countries COUNTRIES won in 12 ON BOTH THE LPGA their home & SYMETRA TOURS 5 countries Bogey-free holes - the longest known streak in LPGA or PGA 144 Tour history by Jin Young Ko Eagles by Ariya Jutanugarn, the most in a single season in LPGA Tour history 23 Brooke Henderson set record as most wins by a Canadian golfer in history 5 In March, the LPGA launched it’s new brand positioning: DRIVE ON. Drive On is clearly rooted in golf, but it’s a bigger idea. It captures the power and potential in each of us and celebrates the hard work, focus, and tenacity that it takes to excel at ones’ goals. The LPGA has been “driving on” to create opportunities for women and girls for 70 years. The Drive On campaign was released with a film entitled – This is for every Girl. Since then two additional players were featured in the campaign: Lizette Salas and Mariah Stackhouse. Stay turned for more in 2020. This is for Every Girl Film Lizette Salas: Where I Come From Mariah Stackhouse: Diamond in the Sky 6 PLAYER OF THE DECADE: INBEE PARK Inbee Park received 53% of the fan vote and was selected as the LPGA Player of the Decade. Fans cast their votes during the two-week campaign in December resulting in 3.7 million impressions. Park earned the No. 1 seed based on her staggering accomplishments on the LPGA Tour between 2010 and 2019. During that time, Park won 18 times, including six major championships, and won the Rolex Player of the Year, Rolex Annika Major Award, Vare Trophy and three-times topped the Money List. Park also made history in 2016, becoming the youngest to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame at the age of 27, and won the Olympic gold medal at the Summer games in Rio that same year. 7 MAJOR CHAMPIONS Jin Young Ko, with her two Major wins, was awarded the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. Jin Young Ko: ANA Inspiration & The Evian Championship Jeongeun Lee6: US Women’s Hannah Green: KPMG Hinako Shibuno: AIG Open conducted by the USGA Women’s PGA Championship Women’s British Open First Career LPGA Win First Career LPGA Win First Career LPGA Win 8 ROLEX WORLD GOLF RANKINGS The Rolex Rankings #1 position changed five times between 3 players during 2019. Ariya Jutanugarn started the year at #1, followed by several back and forth exchanges between Sung Hyun Park and Jin Young Ko. ARIYA JUTANUGARN NO.1 FOR 9 WEEKS SUNG HYUN PARK NO.1 FOR 9 WEEKS JIN YOUNG KO NO.1 FOR 34 WEEKS; ENDED ‘19 AS NO.1 9 ROLEX AWARDS The Rolex LPGA Awards were held November 21, 2019 at the Ritz Carlton Tiburon ballroom in Naples, FL. Facebook Live Engagements of the Green Carpet and Awards Shows were up 842% vs ‘18. AWARD WINNERS Rolex Player of the Year ...................................... Jin Young Ko Rolex ANNIKA Major Award ............................... Jin Young Ko Vare Trophy ......................................................... Jin Young Ko Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year .............. Jeongeun Lee6 Founders Award ................................................. Brooke Henderson Heather Farr Perseverance Award ...................... Suzann Pettersen Commissioner’s Award ....................................... Lynne Doughtie & John Veihmeyer from KPMG Ellen Griffin Rolex Award .................................... Nancy Quarcelino 10 FIRST-TIME WINNERS Pictured Left to Right Hannah Green: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Jeongeun Lee6: US Women’s Open Conducted by the USGA Bronte Law: Pure Silk Championship presented by Visit Williamsburg Celine Boutier: ISPS Handa Vic Open Cheyenne Knight: Volunteers of America Classic Cydney Clanton: Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (Not Pictured) Jin Young Ko Jeongeun Lee6 & Annika Sorenstam Brooke Henderson & 2018 Founders Award winner, So Yeon Ryu 11 SEASON LONG PROGRAMS • $5M Purse with Sei Young Kim taking home $1.5M - largest first-place prize in women’s golf • Kim won the CME Group Tour Championship with an -18 under par performance • CME Group Cares - Score One 4 St. Jude charitable program raised $640,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. CME Group donated $20,000 for each hole-in-one made on the Tour over the season in 2019, there were 32 holes in one! 12 • The Aon Risk Reward Challenge is a season- long competition on both the PGA Tour and the LPGA. A player’s two best scores from each Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole are used to determine their average score to par. • Carlota Ciganda and Brooks Koepka won the 2019 inaugural Aon Risk Reward Challenge and the equal $1 Million prize. • In its second year, the Leader’s Top 10’s highlights the player with the most top-10 finishes on tour. • Jin Young Ko, Brooke Henderson and Hyo
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